Chapter 10
“Then we got kidnapped by a couple of shitheads- oh yea Orion’s not dead as well- “ Regulus’s face stayed impassive despite Barty’s rambling. “Thanks Dora.” He accepted the tea, “Anyways-“
“Okay- shut up.” Dorcas thankfully interrupted. “I don’t want your life story.” Marlene, after a potion was now sat up but was still barely awake. “I have so many questions.” Her head shook quickly before she looked back up at them, “You aren’t dead.”
She looked at Regulus, the comment not unkind but confused. “Clearly.”
“Did you know they were going to attack us?” She looked to Barty, he wondered when they talked. Why hadn’t Barty said anything?
“No.” He put the cup down, “I was invited to only one home invasion, you know who.” Why the secrets?
“Who invited you?”
“Bellatrix.” His answer made her jaw clench, he stayed quiet in the corner. Who knows what his cousin did, she was making quite a reputation for herself last he heard. With her girlfriend still semi-unconscious next her, Regulus could imagine the anger she felt. He didn’t come here to fight with them, it took Barty the entire day to convince him to try and talk to Pandora.
“We didn’t come here about attacks,” His eyes moved from Dorcas to Pandora. “We came here in hopes you’ll be able to shine some light onto something.” Pandora studied him, the sweet smile he knew was gone. Her face was different, her cheeks not as round and her eyes were closed off. He couldn’t read her, knowing he was responsible for their separation made him feel worse.
“Help.” Barty said, “We came here for help.” He motioned with his hand for him to show them the locket. Regulus hesitated, wondering if he could trust them. “Come on.” With a sigh he took it out of his jacket, the silver cold against his fingers as it dangled down.
Pandora smiled sadly, “I wish I would have known what it meant.” Her hand reached out to grab it, “I can’t bring myself to apologise just yet.”
Barty mumbled something on the couch, his head softly falling onto the chair arm. His wand was ready for any spell as he retracted the locket back, “We’re leav-.”
“You can’t.” She stood from the chair, Dorcas watched with a dropped jaw and wide eyes. “The wards I have around this house can be changed at my will, the moment you stepped in I made it so no one can leave without my permission.”
He didn’t have to ask, he knew he didn’t have permission to leave. “What do you want?”
“I just wanted my family to be safe.” Her soft words didn’t soften to blow of them, she might as well have thrown a spell.
“Then we’ll go.” The locket was tucked into his pocket. Too preoccupied with thinking if they were trustworthy enough he didn’t stop to think that they wouldn’t trust him. How many more mistakes is he going to make?
“You don’t have to.” Didn’t he? They clearly aren’t welcome. Barty was no used as he dribbled on the couch, much like the other time they were kidnapped. He did owe him a lot though, he couldn’t leave him here. “I’m just taking precautions.” Against them, but that was left unsaid.
“Understandable.” He couldn’t quite manage to think of anything else. All he wanted was answers about the horcruxes, he shouldn’t have listened to Barty. He should have just gone to the grave and got the ring, maybe destroying that would have made the others more clear to him.
Instead he was here, trapped in a house with people who no longer trusted him. People he betrayed. It was so understandable why they’d be vigilante, untrusting. But that made it more difficult to deal with. And he didn’t want to sit here and play house to gain their trust back, to be friends again. Whatever Barty’s unstable plan was.
All he wanted, needed, was to kill Voldemort. That was it for now. Maybe he’d added more people onto that list the last few days.. Orion for one. Because he thinks Regulus is weak. It takes a weak father to know nothing of his children, Orion knows the ins and outs of weak like he was born from it.
“I’ll be glad to answer questions.” He wished she wouldn’t look at him: they were sad, her eyes. Once they used to be full of wonder, trust. Now they held sadness. He’d rather it be resentment, he’d rather she be angry at him like Dorcas. Unable to truly look him in the eyes. “I can help you.” She was too kind, it was ripping him apart.
“We’re fine on our own.” He stood in front of Barty, he doesn’t know why. He wouldn’t attack them, not if his life was at stake. He felt vulnerable at that thought, angry. “We don’t want to put your family in danger.” He whispered, his voice monotone as he looked at Barty asleep on the couch. When he looked back up, she was smiling. Smiling at him.
He hated it. He wanted her to stop; stop smiling, stop being kind, stop being soft. He hated it. He didn’t want to go through his feelings, he wanted to stay mad. Kill mad. Destroy mad. Die mad. He didn’t want to be sad, when he was sad he thought about-
“The horcruxes? Right?” She moved around to look him in the eyes, always the eyes. “I can help with horcruxes.” She didn’t smile, he was guiltily grateful for it.
“Pandora!” Dorcas scolded, standing from her crouched position near the couch. He agreed with Dorcas, they shouldn’t trust him.
“Why are you doing this?” He didn’t have an answer she’d like. It wasn’t to be good, it wasn’t to make up for anything. He survived that cave, not because he was strong enough to but because Kreacher gave his life. His life for Regulus.
That gave him an impossible anger, hatred. He isn’t sure it’s only directed at Voldemort still. Most of it is. But his mind, it’s like he’s constantly stood in the middle of a storm and each blow of wind sends a ripple of rage down his spine. It’s almost unbearable. The only thing that helps is killing them, making them pay and suffer. He owes Barty, for keeping him sane.
“Because I can.”
His answer makes Dorcas scoff, “Fuck off.” She stood shakily, Regulus didn’t know from anger or her injuries. “You’re telling me, you, who abandoned us. When we were there for you, you left us for them. For that cult- that sociopathic murdering little man. But now you’re here, wanting her help? Because you can..” Her voice waivered with her last whisper. “You haven’t changed at all.”
“Dorcas-“
“No.” She turned to Pandora, they had a silent conversation. One Regulus didn’t want to know. “He’s still the coward that turned his back on us. He’s being a coward right now! He doesn’t deserve any redemption. Neither of them do, send them back outside.” With her biting words and a last disgusted look to him she left the room.
If he was petty enough, he could try to hold it against her, but he knew the feeling of abandonment too well. He didn’t have anything to say when she turned to him, the longer she stared the more his skin started to itch. Wordlessly she moved Marlene out the room. Now asleep, she drifted after Pandora and the doors closed behind her.
Dorcas’s words had stung, stuck to him like glue. He had changed, hadn’t he? He’s going against his family, he’s killed Death Eater’s, he destroyed one of Voldemort’s horcruxes. Regulus did that. And nobody was whispering in his ear, nobody was carving the way for him. He clawed his way out of that hole, with bloody hands and a scarred body.
So what if he’s being secretive about the horcruxes? They had secrets too. That didn’t make him a coward. He isn’t a coward.
He sat down on the couch, watching Barty breath peacefully. He hadn’t known what to say to them, not an explanation or an apology. He should have done both but he stayed quiet. Another ripple spread down his spine as the word repeated in his head.
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He groaned as he woke up, his eyes stinging before he could blink away the pain. “What the fuck?” Trying to gain control over his body again he tried to move around. Regulus was asleep on the couch, his head lulled to the side in what looks to be uncomfortable. As he wakes up further, he looks up cautiously.
A looming Dorcas stood in the corner, “What are you doing here?” She stayed in the corner shadows, like some sort of spirit haunting him.
“I told Reg this, no horcrux murder talk until after twelve.” He held his head in his hands, eyes still slightly foggy.
“You’re treating him different.” He looks up to see her staring at him, trying to figure him out or get an explanation without having to ask. With a sigh Barty sits up, of course he was treating him different. She didn’t see the look on his face as he stared at his own headstone, as he looked around and saw no one. “Is that why you’re still following him? Some new trauma bond?”
He didn’t rise to the bait; trauma had always bonded them together. “He’s my family Dorcas,” the only family he has.
“He has a family,” her words sharp and quick. “He chose that family over us.”
“He’s not choosing them now,” Regulus chose him. They hadn’t met in that cemetery over coincidence, Barty didn’t believe that.
Dorcas sadly smiled out a scoff, “So what, he’s choosing you now? Us? Are you meant to be his new brother?” He’d be a better brother to Regulus then Sirius was. At least he showed up. “He has a-“
“Don’t fucking say his name.” He interrupted, anger rising. “And don’t call him a brother to Regulus.” They stared at each other, Barty didn’t back down as Dorcas thought and held her breath. Then she laughs, it’s short and harsh.
“So you are meant to be his new brother.” With the whisper she nodded to herself as if realising something. “This why you guys haven’t gone to Dumbledore with your, whatever, against The Dark lord?”
“Why would we have gone to Dumbledore?” Baffled, Barty asked.
“So you aren’t on Dumbledore’s side?”
Barty stares at her with a crazed confusion, “Ask Reg that and he’ll laugh you out the room.” His smile slowly fades, “It’s actually quite creepy.” He looks over at the still sleeping man next to him, “But no, we aren’t on Dumble’s side. Aren’t on Voldy’s either.” He adds quickly.
“So, what- you guys just get sick of him? Get too bored? Killing muggles no fun?”
Barty smiles as he shakes his head, “Regulus wants him dead.” He looks up, “Voldemort.” Before she could ask he carries on. “He’s on his own side, carving a path with the bones of anyone who stands in his way.” If the last week has taught him anything, it’s how much rage Regulus is holding right now. “And hate to break the bubble but we haven’t killed any muggles.”
“Oh how good of a person you are Crouch.”
“Now you know I’ve never tried to be a good person.” She does know that, more than most. “But a good friend?-“ Her laugh is loud, “Laugh all you want, you fucking owe me Dorcas.”
She rears back, “I owe you? I don’t owe you shit-“
“Regulus doesn’t know it was you who tipped the Auror’s off.” Her face smooths over as he stares at her, “That it was you that got us kidnapped.” She shook her head slowly, they definitely deserved it but still. “And he’s been a bit unstable as of late, murderous.” It’s not a threat, he’s not sure if it’s a warning either. He trusts Regulus, but he is unstable.
Dorcas walks out the room, the door slamming behind her and he attempts to follow but is unable to open the door. He’s getting kinda sick of being kidnapped, as the sun raised out the window he sat back down.
Regulus was up fast, his back straight as he tried to hide his quickened breath. Barty stayed calm, pretending to be impassive. “What’d you dream about?”
“Death.” Oh Reggie, his emo king.
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It’s the next day when he’s awake, he didn’t mean to sleep that long. “They said anything?” Barty shook his head as Regulus rolled his neck back and to.
“Surprised you didn’t leave me.” He said with raised eyebrows.
“Believe me I thought about it.” He whispered into the room, as the sun shone through the window it was more visible.
A large, blue clock against the yellow walls was hung above a small fireplace. Pictures and decorations covered the brick, no frame was similar. Each misshaped with swirls of colours and the pictures held the same whimsy as it captured their family. “What’s the plan now?” Barty interrupted his scouting.
“You were the one who wanted to come here.” He reminded, he’s never listening to Barty again.
“Yea but we didn’t really have a plan,”
“We?”
“So we should make one now, you know.” He turned to him on the couch, “Show them a strong front and get them to join us. Tell them the sob story of how you got here- really play up your fake death.” He nods as he speaks, Regulus stares at him.
“How about we just leave?”
“Dude, if you aren’t gonna talk about your fake death or traumatic backstory to me then at least use it to get somewhere in life.” His eyebrows pulled as his arms moved around while pleading. “Or getting past friends to take pity on you and help you kill a bias- murdering- daddy issues, self-appointed dark lord!”
“Why don’t you stand in the middle of kings cross and shout it out.” He whispered harshly.
“Dramatic.” Barty points at him before standing from the couch. He stands near the window, a sigh relaxing his body as he leaned on the windowsill. “Just,” he goes to speak but continues to look out the window.
Regulus waits, he knows the questions flittering through his mind and he wishes he doesn’t ask any of them. Barty means well but this isn’t something Regulus could put into words.
“Just tell me anything, man.” The pleading tone has Regulus looking away. “I haven’t pried, haven’t asked but come on.”
“Then why are you asking now?”
“Did you see them?” Both his hands extending to the door. “He’s already sending people to attack, whatever’s happening has already begun. We need to stop, we need to plan.”
“No, what we need is these horcruxes destroyed. If he’s already started his plan then we should go to the grave and get the ring.”
“And then what? You destroy them all and try and defeat him by yourself?”
“I’m not having this conversation again.” He stands and turns away from Barty.
“We didn’t even have this conversation!” He turns around quickly at his yell.
“Keep your voice down.”
Barty groans loudly, “For fucks sake. You- you’re-“ His head shakes as Barty looks at him, then he stops. His body falling back slightly as if he realises something, as if he looked at him and found something he didn’t want to. But Regulus hadn’t said anything, didn’t plan on doing so.
The door unlocks and Barty walks back over to the couch as the man entered the room he turns away and whispers. “Fuck this.” Watching the man shake slightly with his wonky glasses at the tip of his nose, Barty’s despair is laughable.
“You’re Pandora’s friends.” He smiles at the two of them as if they hadn’t met before. “Well, not friends anymore.” He adds with a whisper, his head shaking until he see’s something on the fireplace. Regulus watches with disinterest and slight disgust as he gasps, “Oh he didn’t cause problems did he?”
Barty turns back as the man grabs a ceramic frog and holds it close to his chest. “What.”
“Must’ve not said the words,” he smiles to the frog. “Breakfast is ready.” His voice lingers as he walks out the room, leaving the door open.
“I can’t.”
Regulus rolls his eyes, “Grow up.” He walks to the door, if anything to get away from Barty.
“He sounds like he’s constantly out of breath. How do you listen to that?”
He ignores Barty’s complaints as they walk into a kitchen and dining room combined. The wooden table in the middle which everyone sits at goes silent as they walk in.
“I really thought they were a nightmare.” Marlene turned to Dorcas to say. At least she didn’t look half dead, ignoring her insults there’s that.
“We don’t need to stay here, we’re glad to leave.” More than glad actually but he didn’t want to fight his way out. Not against Pandora.
“Then why are they still here?” The girlfriend questioned, to which Barty then took a seat opposite her with a big smile. Regulus sighed at the pettiness as he stays stood near the door.
“Because they’re going to help us defeat The Dark Lord.” Pandora spoke, the steam from her cup swirling in front of her face.
“Those people?” She pointed towards the two men, “You mean those Death Eater’s? The ones who are following him, they’re- they’re going to help us?” Regulus could hear a laugh linger in her bafflement.
“Yes, they have to.” Her eyes wonder to no one but an empty space next to her. “Because the prophecy has started.”
“The prophecy? What prophecy?” Dorcas asked as she looked to the head of the table.
Pandora looked back, her eyes squinting. “The prophecy.” She encouraged, looking around the room. “Trelawney and I foretold a prophecy, she said she would bring it to Dumbledore.” At their confused and impassive faces she continued, “It was about The Dark Lord.”
Dorcas and Marlene sat higher, completely focused on her. “What was the prophecy?”
Confused, she still explained. “It was about the one with the power to vanquish The Dark Lord. The one that will bring hope when it seems lost, the one who will rally forces and with their light The Dark Lord will fall..” Her voice travelled through them all as she seemed to go into a daze as she spoke.
“And you think it’s that motherfucker?” Marlene pointed at him, he shared the same sentiment. Apart from the motherfucker comment.
“Marlene!” Dorcas groans, “Pandora how do you know this prophecy is- is an actual prophecy? There hasn’t been a prophecy foretold like this in centuries.”
“I know it’s real. Me and Trelawney both saw it, we needed to combine what we knew to get the whole prophecy but it is real. Is this not a sign?” She pointed at him and Barty. “They’ve brought what we need to defeat him- ‘rally the forces.’” She repeats part of it.
Dorcas shakes her head, disbelieving.
“So what?” Marlene spoke, “So what if they know how to defeat him- they’re Death Eater’s. They can’t be trusted!”
“We are right here.” Barty leaned back into his chair as he stared at her.
“We should be calling the Auror’s here to imprison them.” She turns to look at them as she says, “Or just kill them ourselves.” Her eyes linger on Regulus, to which he stops an eyeroll. He had never done anything to her personally but as Dorcas’ partner he can see how she’d hold a grudge.
“No one’s killing anyone.” Dorcas called out. “But she is right.” She stared at them too, a burning anger behind her eyes but she forces her words out. “You can’t be trusted.”
“Then let us explain, let us show you what we have.” Barty pulls out a book, one Regulus doesn’t recognise. “Here, read this.” Opened on a stained page he puts it on the table. The three of them hesitate to lean forwards, “It’s about horcruxes, or should I read it to you?” With that they started to slowly read the page.
Regulus steps further, there’s no going back now. “An inhumane and dark act?” Dorcas whispered to herself.
He answered anyway, “Murder.”
Unease ripples through the room as they continue to read. “Immortal?” Marlene questioned, “Are you saying The Dark Lord is immortal?”
“Yes,” after he answers Barty sends a glance back to him with a concealed smile. Enjoying their bafflement, as if he was any better when Regulus told him.
“Immortal? If he’s immortal then how are they here to help us defeat him?” Dorcas reasoned, staring at them in a confused daze.
“You can’t defeat him until the horcruxes he’s made are destroyed.”
“Horcruxes?Plural?” Regulus almost finds amusement in the similar outburst to Barty’s.
“How do you even know he’s made one of these? Pandora, we can’t just go on your visions and trust people who shouldn’t be.” As Dorcas speaks Barty looks back at him again, a silent conversation as she continues to talk. He can almost hear him in his head, ‘Just show them it.’
It’s not Barty that convinces him, it’s the way Pandora behind him is staring. Because she knows, she’s already seen it and felt it. She knows it’s all true, so while Dorcas berates them about it being fake she stares at him. He brings it out and places the cold silver onto the table, their conversations stop.
“The fucking necklace?”
“Can only smart people talk from now on?” Barty said immediately after.
“Then why are you speaking?” Marlene replied.
“Because I’m fucking smart.”
“Since when?”
“Since I figured out Voldemort’s real identity which no one else has been able to do and find a horcrux. What have you done?”
“Not gotten a group tattoo to join the cult of a Dark Lord and then regretted the decision so much I’m sitting across from the people you betrayed and left while joining said cult.” Barty had been silenced, he turned to the side with crossed arms as Marlene stared at him with a raised eyebrow. Victorious.
“That was his horcrux.” Pandora said, ignoring the two in front of her. “You destroyed it? How?” Both her and Dorcas turn to look at him, Barty slowly puts his arms down as he silently stares too.
“Fiendfyre.” He doesn’t look at Barty when he turns to him.
“It’s not mentioned anywhere how to destroy one, how did you know that spell would work?” Dorcas looks between them as Pandora asks, but he doesn’t answer.
“You’re trying to gain our trust here,” Dorcas fills the silence with a strong voice. “So I don’t care whatever is happening in your head, explain.”
“Voldemort sent a group of people to get the locket back, figured it out then.”
“Is that why you faked your death?” Her biting tone didn’t deter him.
“Took advantage of the moment.” Her head shakes as she looks away, unable to look at him.
“Are we actually fucking listening to this?” Marlene shouted at the two others next to her, “Just fucking call Moody to come gets these rats and we can figure this horcrux shit out on our own.”
“I agree we need to think this all through.” Regulus and Barty share a look, ‘Keep quiet.’ He tries to communicate.
“But the prophecy, cas.”
“We already have a light rallying our forces- it’s Dumbledore!” Marlene points out, “If it’s about anyone it’d be him, not that- that coward.” Her words are thrown straight at him and he takes a deep breath to control his temper.
“We didn’t come here to ‘rally forces’ or get a group to fight so you can fucking chill with the dramatics.” Barty sneered at her, “By how you looked last night, you might want our help.”
With a scoff she stands, “I’m fucking calling Moody-“ Barty laughs. “We don’t need to deal with this. What’s funny?”
Pandora stands up, “Marlene.” She stops walking with her wand out to look back at her. “If you guys aren’t here to fight then why are you here?”
“For your help.” Barty repeats, “Show them the portrait.” He swore he wouldn’t listen to Barty again but he takes the paper out anyway, “The Diadem is a horcrux, we don’t know where it is. Just that this person has it.” They all stop and stare at the paper, at the locket. “There’s two others.”
“Horcruxes?”
“No, unicorns- yes horcruxes.” Barty’s snappy tone has Marlene pulling a fake smile and rolling her eyes.
“I’m calling the Auror’s, have fun in prison.” She begins to walk out the room and Barty calls out. “Yea? Those Aurors can suck my dick-“
“Oh.” Fire shot out above the table making Dorcas, Barty and Pandora lean back. It stops quickly and they all for the first time paid attention to the man sat at the other end to Pandora. The ceramic frog made a noise as its mouth closed. “It doesn’t like profanities, specifically those about genitals.” He pushed his glasses up as he looked at everyone, his voice almost echoing in the room.
Barty turns to him with wide, pleading eyes. “Kill me- ah.” He looks back at Pandora as he rubs his leg. Regulus held his chin in his hand with a deep sigh.